Ecology Ministry to organize hunting for foreigners in Azerbaijan

10 September 2018 12:11 (UTC+04:00)

By Naila Huseynli

Foreign citizens in Azerbaijan apply for permission to hunt through mediation of relevant companies, Hikmat Alizade said at the conference.

Head of the department for Biodiversity Conservation and Development of Specially Protected Areas under the Ministry of Ecology and Natural said that companies performing the function of an intermediary must take special obligations that foreign citizens follow the laws of Azerbaijan.

“It is necessary to declare that earlier, cases of violation of the law by foreign citizens were observed. Therefore, from this year, certain obligations are imposed to prevent illegal hunting for companies that organizes hunting for foreign citizens”, noted Alizade.

Director of department reports that the Ministry received many appeals in connection with hunting. He also mentioned that this year the hunting season began in May, and it is planned to be completed in late February, early March.

Sometimes hunters want to increase the number of permits for hunting. He also added that the number of permits for hunting is not determined by the number of people wishing to hunt, but is estimated by the state of the population of birds and animals.

Popular hunting regions in the country include Shamakhi, Sheki, Oguz, Gakh, Imishli, Gubin, and Ismayilli.

Despite the fact that hunting is prohibited in some areas of the country as well as the Caspian Sea islands, green zones, protected areas including National Parks and reserves, there are some who still violate these rules.

In order to preserve fauna of the country raids are being carried out by the employees of the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Specially Protected Natural Areas of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, to investigate the state of compliance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On hunting".

Hunting, done without proper authorization or in restricted areas, or in the forbidden time, or by prohibited tools and methods, and if this act entailed causing significant damage, is punished with a fine in the amount of 2,000 to 3,000 manats ($1,185-$1,777).

The illegal catching of a fish or other water animals, causing damage in the significant size [the sum starting from 400 manats ($235) up to 1,000 manats ($587)] is punished by the penalty at a rate from 2,000 ($1,175) up to 3,000 ($1,762) manats.

If these acts committed by a person with use of the service position or on preliminary arrangement by group of persons or by organized group, it is punished by the penalty at a rate from 1,000 ($587) up to 2,000 manats ($1,175), or with imprisonment for the term from two up to five years with deprivation of the right to hold the certain posts or to engage in the certain activities for the term up to years.